What Is Laparoscopic Surgery?

Written by Advanced Surgicare on May 13, 2015

Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical technique that Dr. V. Kuzinkovas of Advanced Surgicare uses whenever medically appropriate. Developed over four decades ago, modern laparoscopy has many surgical applications. It is commonly used in bariatric procedures, including gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgery. Dr. Kuzinkovas has had great success performing bariatric surgery with laparoscopic techniques.

In this blog post, Dr. Kuzinkovas describes laparoscopic surgery in further detail, and explains why it is preferred (in most cases) to traditional surgery techniques.

Procedures that Can Be Performed Laparoscopically

Our three most popular bariatric procedures can be performed laparoscopically (when appropriate for the patient):

Laparoscopic Surgery Procedural Details

Laparoscopic surgery is performed through several small incisions, in contrast to the single large incision used in traditional “open” surgery. The incisions usually measure up to half an inch. After making the incisions, Dr. Kuzinkovas fills the patient’s abdomen with carbon dioxide to help him see the organs clearly. He uses special surgical instruments, including a laparoscope, which is a thin, lighted camera that magnifies and projects images from inside the abdomen onto a monitor in the operating room. The camera functions as Dr. Kuzinkovas’ eyes, allowing him to watch the images on the screen as he works through the smaller incisions. The surgical steps vary, depending on the specific procedure being performed.

In some cases, laparoscopic surgery can be performed on an outpatient basis, and the patient can return home to recover on the same day. Just as with traditional open surgery, anesthesia is used for the patient’s comfort and safety.

Advantages of Laparoscopic Surgery

Although the specific surgical steps will vary by procedure, laparoscopic surgery is generally less traumatic on the body’s tissues. Using smaller incisions minimizes a substantial portion of the surgical risks, shortens the hospital stay, speeds up recovery time and causes less post-operative pain. Patients are able to return to work more quickly and with minimal discomfort after laparoscopic surgery.

Scarring is significantly lessened with the laparoscopic approach. There may also be less internal scarring with laparoscopic surgery, compared to traditional surgery.

Learn More about Laparoscopic Surgery

Laparoscopic surgery is not appropriate for everyone. To learn more about laparoscopic weight loss surgery and determine whether you qualify for the minimally invasive approach, please contact Advanced Surgicare. Call 1 300 551 533 today to speak to a member of our team or schedule a consultation with Dr. Kuzinkovas.